christina's english blog

  Doing this bibliography helped me realize that "cancel culture" is about more than just internet drama; it is actually a complex system of rules and consequences. By connecting these sources, I can see how big institutions use "social borders" to decide who is allowed to participate in society and who gets kicked out. This has clarified my argument by showing that accountability only works when the rules are fair for both the community and the individual. Moving forward, I will argue that we need better systems to make sure that punishment leads to actual growth instead of just permanent exclusion.

 The part of the annotated bibliography that was the most challenging for me is the summary because I have 10 sources to decipher and read. Most sources are 6-8 pages long and it will take ample time to read and come up with a summary in only a few sentences. This challenge will help me grow as a researcher because it will help find more efficient methods when creating a annotated bibliography. This will help me when writing my research paper because I will be easily able to know what resource to reference or use when speaking on a certain topic.

 As I gathered information, the differences I noticed between my sources is that cancel culture is viewed in many different perspectives. The attitude usually depends if the topic is more social justice and politics centered or social;-control. I noticed that magazines and news sources were usually more against cancel culture because of its mob-mentality tendencies while academic journals were usually more for it and acknowledged that individuals need to accountability for their actions. 

Today, In class we used Galieo to find sources for our project. In my opinion, using Galieo was honestly harder than just using Google. Using Google you find exactly what you need easily and I found that for me Galieo was harder to navigate. Sometimes there would be thousands of search results but none would be relevant to my topic and I would add key words or filters and then there would be even less or random results.

This cartoon criticizes Donald Trump for using foreign wars to distract people from what is happening in the United States. The image suggests that while everyone is looking at the conflict between Iran and Israel, the government is passing a "Big Beautiful Bill" that hurts the country, which is shown by the crushed Uncle Sam. The cartoonist wants the audience to question if they are being tricked into ignoring domestic problems, like immigration enforcement and budget cuts. Overall, it asks the viewer to reconsider whether the news they are being told to watch is just a cover for more harmful laws.

  In the past, "Googling" a topic often meant typing in broad keywords and going through thousands of  results to find the most useful source. Creating specific search phrases is different because it uses precise words to help narrow the field, targeting the exact context or data needed. This strategy improves the quality of research by reducing information overload and ensuring the sources found are more academic, credible, and directly aligned with the research goals. By being intentional with language, you spend less time filtering out "noise" and more time analyzing high-quality information.

 My research topic is Freedom of speech v. Cancel culture and our research question is should individuals face consequences for past statements or actions? Why or why not? I think that the fact that opinions can vary and it is a very arguable topic makes this topic difficult to answer/solve. Two viewpoints of this topic are public figures like politicians and celebrities and regular everyday people like teachers and employees. Understanding viewpoints is important because when most people think of cancel culture, they usually think of public figures but cancel culture can affect anyone. 

 My past experiences of researching in school have varied. I usually nowadays use Google and A.I. to do my research. However last year in my literature class, at the end of the year I had to complete a research project using 10 various academic resources. It was very time-consuming to go through and deeply analyze the sources. Not to mention picking out the best information to include in my project. I have never done a group research project but I think that it will be a bit easier because we can all conjoin our knowledge together. 

 If I could plan the perfect spring break with no limits, I would go to a beautiful tropical island with clear water and warm weather. I would bring my closest friends and family so I could relax and have fun with the people I care about most. We would spend our days at the beach, swimming, trying new foods, and doing activities like jet skiing and exploring the area. At night, we would watch the sunset, take pictures, and just enjoy being together. It would be the perfect mix of fun, relaxation, and making unforgettable memories.

 Chris McCandless’s strong desire for independence played a big role in his death because he chose to live alone in the wilderness without enough preparation or support. He wanted to prove that he could survive completely on his own, but this led him to underestimate how dangerous nature can be. Because he avoided help and cut himself off from others, he had no way to get assistance when things became difficult. His independence, while inspiring, ultimately made him vulnerable and unprepared for real survival challenges. I can relate to this because there was a time when I wanted full control over a situation and thought I didn’t need help from anyone. At first, I felt confident, but I quickly realized things were harder than I expected. I faced unexpected challenges and wished I had asked for advice or support earlier. This experience taught me that independence is important, but it’s also okay to rely on others when needed.

 Watching the film version of Into the Wild deepens my understanding of Chris McCandless because it shows his emotions more clearly through visuals, music, and his interactions with others. One key difference is that the film makes his loneliness and struggles feel more real, especially through his facial expressions and the setting, while the book focuses more on facts and analysis. This helps me better understand how isolated he really was and how much he was going through internally. It reminds me of a time when I saw a video about someone’s life instead of just reading about it, and it made me feel more connected to their experience. Seeing something visually can make emotions stronger and easier to understand compared to just reading words.

 I have a close relationship with my mom because she really understands me, even when I don’t say much. I can talk to her about my feelings, and she listens without judging me, which makes me feel safe. What makes our relationship strong is trust and honesty, and I know she always wants what’s best for me. This is similar to Chris and Carine because they also had a deep bond and supported each other when things were hard. However, I feel like my relationship is more open since I can communicate my feelings more clearly.